Tigers and Hunter finalize $26M deal

While it’s normally the other way around, this time, the Detroit Tigers knew what it looked like to be stalked, scrutinized, dissected and inspected, like teams normally do with prospective players in the free-agency process.

The Tigers know now what it’s like to be hunted, as they were this offseason by one of the top free-agent outfielders, Torii Hunter.

It wasn’t so much that they picked him out, it was revealed at Friday afternoon’s press conference at Comerica Park, officially announcing the signing of the 37-year-old Hunter to a two-year deal, but rather that he’d decided on them.

“No, I made it happen. I said, let’s get it done, go get it done. It’s no reason to sit around. I got no reason to sit around, I know who I want to play for. I know I want to win and I know this ball club is going to win so hey, come over to the winning side. I’m coming over to the Tigers,” Hunter said.

“I’ve been to the playoffs several times and lost, so I really want to win a World Series before I get out of here. This is my last stand, you know? One more push, and I’m all in.”

When was it that Hunter knew he wanted to play in Detroit?

“During the season?” he said with a laugh, admitting that he knew there was a distinct possibility he’d not be able to return to the Angels when his five-year deal expired at the end of the 2012 season, spurring him to start scouting out possible destinations. “I definitely was scouting. I saw this was the best team in baseball. The early start was just a funk ... but you saw what they did going down the stretch. They really wanted to win, and every bit of talent that they had came out of them. So I just continued to watch those guys and I saw they might have a spot open over there. Larry,” Hunter said to his agent, Larry Reynolds, “make a call!”

Reynolds first got in contact with Tigers president and general manager at the GM meetings in Palm Springs last week setting up a phone conference with Hunter. Earlier this week, Reynolds called Dombrowski back to set up a face-to-face meeting with his client and the organization, which was — coincidentally and fortunately — having organizational meetings in town.

Before Hunter did that, though, he did some more homework, getting in contact with Prince Fielder, among other Tigers players.

“He was like, this is a first-class organization, I’ve had nothing but fun here and 40,000 fans a game is electrifying. He said, ‘Trust me, I want you to come play with me.’ I told him I wanted to play here,” Hunter recalled. “He said, ‘Come play, you won’t have anything to complain about.’ ”

Reynolds flew into Detroit Tuesday with Hunter and his wife, Katrina, and met with the Tigers’ brass, with manager Jim Leyland, and — most importantly — with team owner Mike Ilitch.

“This guy has a lot of fire. I flew here Tuesday and I went into his office. He just greeted me with a big smile and he was talking about, ‘When you came here, you played against us with fire, and that’s what we need, fire.’ And just looking at him, talking to him, I could tell that he really wants to win that World Series,” Hunter said. “I’ve been playing Major League Baseball for 14 years now, 14 seasons, and I see that same fire. I could look at him and feel it, because I’m searching for the same thing.”

It was a short search, though.Quick and to the point. While there were eight other teams vying for his services, and maybe more had the process gone on, Reynolds said, there was only one for Hunter.

That simply doesn’t happen often.

“To have a real good player, that I know had a lot of other interest in him, to make it clear that this is his preference, I don’t remember that too many other times,” said Dombrowski, who was trying to shape Detroit into just that type of free-agent destination when he came here.

“I’ve had other times where people say, based on different circumstances, and certain contractual things, this is where he’d rather stay. But in this case, he got a very good contract, but I’m also pretty sure he could’ve done better than that if he’d gone out there and mixed and matched, and played this club against that club. He said all along he wasn’t going to do that. This is where he wanted to play.”

Hunter tried to make that clear to the Tigers, indicating that he wanted to sign before he left town Tuesday. He didn’t, but it didn’t take a whole lot longer, taking less than an hour on the phone Wednesday morning, before Dombrowski took an 8 a.m. flight out to the owners’ meetings.

“Dave and I got this deal done in less than an hour. It’s unheard of in our business. That’s because this is a straightforward man. I also knew Torii made this a priority and made it real easy,” Reynolds said. “You guys are in for a treat. I’m telling you now. This is my warning. With Torii Hunter, you’ve got something special. I’ve known Torii since he was 17 years old. This is one of the best people I’ve ever met. Forget baseball. This is one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life, and you guys will see it.”

That part was evident to the owner, too, who was impressed with Hunter as much as a person as he was with his playing ability.

“Torii’s got a reputation from a standpoint of being an (upstanding) player and lots of enthusiasm. But the thing that impressed me in the little time we spent together was that he cares about everybody,” Ilitch said. “It wasn’t that fast, about two-and-a-half steps in the door, he come flying in, he didn’t walk in. Big smile on his face, friendly look. One of those situations where ‘I’ve known this guy for 20 years.’ You meet people like that and right away you’re comfortable. I guess that happens in the dating world. ... We could have stayed there and hour, hour and a half. I told myself, at that time, at that time, thinking about more than himself, the team and MLB, I found somebody that this baseball player had other concerns, about other people in the world and in life. That made me feel real good.

It helps that Hunter’s son, Torii Jr., will be playing college football at Notre Dame starting in the fall.

“Honestly, this is a perfect fit. You’re talking about playing in the Central again, a division I know about. I look at the Tigers and see the Tigers winning this division,” Hunter said.

“And then when I got outside of baseball and look at my family situation … only two-and-a-half, three hours away from my son in South Bend. Not just talking about catching football games, but on a day off I can go out there and hang out with him for a day. We can have lunch, talk, or he can come here when he has time. It’s just a perfect marriage, a perfect fit, and I really think I can win my World Series here in 2013 and ’14.”

Email Matthew B. Mowery at matt.mowery@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @matthewbmowery. Text keyword “Tigers” to 22700 to get updates sent to your phone. Msg & data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.